Seth Halvorsen details decision to transfer to Tennessee
Missouri transfer pitcher Seth Halvorsen committed to Tennessee on Thursday night, choosing the Vols over North Carolina and Alabama.
Tony Vitello's program is in the midst of competing for a National Championship out in Omaha. Ask anyone about the success of the Vols and they’ll first mention the culture around the program. That culture is what sold Halvorsen on the Vols.
“Definitely the culture,” Halvorsen said when Volquest asked him about what separated Tennessee when making his decision. “I think I’ll thrive in their culture. It’s high-energy and the guys just feed off of each other.
“I wanted to go somewhere I could develop into a more consistent pitcher and also go somewhere I could help a team win and head to Omaha. Tennessee’s culture is really exciting. The players and the coaches, just all around. Guys want to be there, guys want to play, guys want to win.”
Halvorsen just finished his third year at Missouri. As the Tigers’ top arm this past season, the right-hander compiled a record of 4-2 and ERA of 6.00 in 14 starts. He had 70 strikeouts in 72.0 innings.
This season was his first full season pitching for Mizzou. As a true freshman in 2019, he gave up just two earned runs and a hit in 5.1 innings before being shutdown for the season due to injury and taking a medical redshirt.
Halvorsen spent more time as a position player in 2020 as a redshirt freshman. He received 29 at-bats and hit one home run before COVID-19 shutdown the season.
The plan at Tennessee is to pitch. Halvorsen has three years of eligibility remaining.
“Obviously I’m going to have to earn my role,” Halvorsen said. “When I get there, my hope is to win a starting role, but obviously I have to win any role they give me in order to help the team.”
Tennessee’s culture speaks for itself, but it didn’t take long for Halvorsen to click with Vitello. And the opportunity to learn from pitching coach Frank Anderson was too much to turn down.
“I connected really well over conversations with Coach Vitello when I went into the transfer portal,” Halvorsen said. “From the beginning, they were one of the top teams on my list and it held up throughout the whole process.
“I’m super excited to learn from a guy with so much experience. Coach Anderson is smart and connects well with his players. He connected well with me and I’m just super excited to see what he can do for me as a pitcher.”
Tennessee likes the competitor they’re getting in Halvorsen. It also helps that the Plymouth, Minnesota native can throw four pitches and flashes high velocity on his fastball.
“I have an athletic build and they think I can be developed into a consistent pitcher who contributes for them,” Halvorsen said. “I throw a slider, a changeup and a curveball in addition to my fastball.
“I’m trying to make my curveball more of a 12-6. It sweeps a little bit, but my slider is harder and has more horizontal run. My changeup just dives down and that was one of my better pitches towards the back-half of the season.”
Halvorsen is playing for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks this summer in the Cape Cod League. He wants to work on being more efficient as he plays in the historic collegiate baseball league.
“I’m working on getting ahead in the count and hoping that will lead to quicker innings,” Halvorsen said. “I want to pitch off my fastball, just not throwing backwards in counts, but using my fastball as my dominant pitch and pitching off of that with my off-speed.”
There will be two familiar faces awaiting Halvorsen in Knoxville when he arrives.
Halvorsen played travel baseball for the Minnesota Blizzard in high school with fellow Minnesota native and current Vols starting centerfielder Drew Gilbert. Halvorsen has also played summer ball in the past with current Tennessee pitcher Will Mabrey.